The present invention relates to a tear strip opening device. More particularly, the present invention relates to a container, for example, a package or an envelope containing a non-tearable plastic strip or ridge positioned on an inside surface of a sealing portion of the container. The plastic strip is positioned between dotted punch lines and disposed between a small plastic band attached to the outside surface of the sealing portion, on one side, and a glued portion disposed on the inside surface of the sealing portion thereof, on the other side, for use in easily and readily opening the container.
Many types of package opening devices have been developed in the packaging industry to facilitate the opening of packages. For example, packages such as sugar containers or the like have been designed with perforated punch lines disposed along the middle of the packages. Also, envelopes have been designed to contain a thread positioned along the bottom thereof. However, these packages and envelopes suffer from a number of disadvantages, such as they are difficult to open easily and, thus, an opening device, such as a paper opener, must be used for opening the packages or envelopes. Also, it has been found that the thread positioned along the bottom of an envelope produces a zigzag cut in the paper when the containers are opened. Furthermore, to tear packages provided with perforated punch lines, made of thin paper products is very difficult.
In the specification in my copending applications Ser. Nos. 901,741 and 901,744 titled "a tear strip opening device" and filed on Aug. 29, 1986, I have described and claimed a tear strip opening device characterized by utilizing a pair of plastic bands attached to the outside surface of the container. However, it is notable that, if the tear strip opening device is utilized on the sealing portion of the envelope or package, one of the pair of plastic bands should be attached to the glued portion thereof, which increases the manufacturing cost.